Description

JollysFastVNC is a secure ARD and VNC client for macOS, focused on fast and reliable remote control. TaoofMac even described it as one of the best options on the platform.

To connect, enable Screen Sharing on remote Macs, run a VNC server such as UltraVNC on Windows, or use the built-in VNC servers on Linux. For encrypted sessions, select the SSH security type and JollysFastVNC creates the tunnel automatically.

Features

Fast performance.
Secure: built-in SSH tunneling, SSL, and SOCKS support.
Mac login, keyboard, pasteboard, remote screen lock, and monitor selection support.
Windows login and domain login support.
Multiple connections, full-screen mode, and multi-monitor support.
SmartZoom for viewing large remote desktops.
International keyboard support.
Reverse connections with automated NAT-PMP and UPnP port opening on routers.
Wake-on-LAN support.
Hierarchical global and per-host preferences.
Bonjour discovery, including auto-connect to Bonjour hosts.
Remote cursor support, including SmartZoom movement.
Automatic pasteboard synchronization.
vnc:// and jfvnc:// URL schemes for opening connections from other apps.
VNC encodings ZRLE, Tight, zlib, rre, hextile, raw, copyrect, resolution change, pixel format change, lastrect and some more.

Requirements

Normal version: macOS 11-15.

App Store version: no longer available due to App Store restrictions.

Background

When I started ScreenRecycler, I assumed existing VNC clients would be enough. As the product matured, I found that many Mac clients were too slow, and users blamed ScreenRecycler for the lag. VNCThing was acceptable on PPC Macs but did not run on Intel Macs.

Without a capable viewer, people could not use ScreenRecycler as intended. I started building JollysFastVNC to unlock its full potential, then expanded it into a full VNC client after receiving feedback. You can see an early performance note here.

Some servers cannot handle the high request rate JollysFastVNC uses for responsiveness. Work continues on compatibility improvements that keep high-performance servers such as ScreenRecycler fast.

Feedback

Feedback is welcome, especially for reproducible bugs and genuinely new ideas. Please read the Readme first, then contact me via the mail link in the JollysFastVNC About box.

Downloads

Current version: JollysFastVNC.current.dmg

JollysFastVNC